The U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA/APHIS) and the Texas Department of Agriculture have taken several Mexican fruit fly (Mexfly) quarantine actions in Texas since mid-August. DONNA On Aug. 15, the agencies established a Mexfly quarantine in Donna, Hidalgo County. This is in response to the confirmed detection on Aug. 10 of Mexfly larvae in …
Update on Efforts to Lower Required OJ Brix Level
Florida Citrus Mutual (FCM) and federal lawmakers from Florida are pushing legislation that would direct the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lower the required Brix level of not-from-concentrate pasteurized orange juice (OJ) from 10.5% to 10%. The change has been requested because many Florida oranges no longer produce juice that meets the 10.5% Brix requirement. FCM Chief …
Survey to Determine Hurricane Helene Ag Impacts
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has started a study to estimate the agricultural impacts resulting from Hurricane Helene in the state of Florida. Results of a survey, which can be accessed here, will be combined with a detailed baseline database on agricultural assets in Florida to estimate and communicate production losses. The information UF/IFAS …
How to Help Trees Recover From High Winds
By Christopher Vincent Hurricane Helene’s path spared most of the citrus industry the kind of trouble that Hurricane Ian brought back in 2022, but Ian taught us some important lessons you can use if your trees were hit by high winds. WIND SPEED MATTERS Trees impacted by Category 3 winds were mostly defoliated, with major limbs broken and near 100% …
Growers Cautioned To Be Wary of Fruit Quality Following Helene
Georgia’s citrus growers may have dodged catastrophic results from Hurricane Helene, but they might not know the full impact of the storm for at least a couple of more weeks. Lindy Savelle, executive director of the Georgia Citrus Association, warned that though fruit may still be in the trees, it may have suffered irreparable damage from high winds when the …
CRDF Funds OTC and Other Research Projects
The Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) board of directors had a busy meeting in September. The board approved several research proposals for funding. And one researcher was asked to revise and resubmit a proposal. “A complicating factor was several of the proposals were put together before the ‘off-year’ of oxytetracycline (OTC) usage was repealed, but we concluded that it …
CITRUS NURSERY SOURCE: Get Out and About at Variety Displays and Field Days
By Peter Chaires Each year, citrus breeding and research teams go to great lengths to host variety displays, research reviews, tours and field days. These events not only showcase the collective pursuit of industry needs and priorities, but they afford stakeholders an opportunity to monitor the progress and interact directly with scientists and support staff. This is an investment of …
California Medfly Quarantine Expanded
Federal and state agriculture officials on Sept. 6 established a Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata; Medfly) quarantine in Alameda County, California. On Sept. 11, this quarantine was expanded to include a small portion of Santa Clara County. The actions were taken by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA APHIS) and the California Department of …
Association Names Danyluk Researcher of the Year
The Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA) has presented University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Professor Michelle Danyluk its 2024 Researcher of the Year Award. The award was presented at FFVA’s recent annual convention in Marco Island. The honor is given to individuals who have dedicated themselves and their work to improving Florida agriculture. Danyluk works in …
Research Aims to Diversify Georgia’s Citrus Crop
Satsuma mandarins helped establish the citrus crop in Georgia. Alternate varieties will help the state’s industry continue to grow. Mary Sutton’s appointment as the new University of Georgia (UGA) citrus Extension specialist should help growers implement varieties that have been tested and are suitable for Georgia growers. Part of her role will be to research alternatives to satsumas to see …
PIECES OF THE PAST: A Legacy of Citrus Service
By Brenda Eubanks Burnette I recently met Megan and Jeffrey Forbes at a presentation I gave on the Citrus Label Trail during Preservation on Main Street’s annual meeting in Tallahassee. They are interested in adding Alachua and Marion counties to the Citrus Label Trail. Megan is a board member of the Old Florida Heritage Highway, and Jeffrey is the development …
Cold-Hardy Citrus Concerns Prior to Harvest
Cold-hardy citrus growers are on the cusp of starting another harvest season. Management options need to continue up until the first crops are plucked from the trees, according to Certified Crop Adviser Bill Barber with Ag Services LLC. Barber spoke at a citrus workshop on Sept. 24 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office …
All In For Citrus Podcast, September 2024
Mark Ritenour, professor of postharvest technology with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), joined the September episode of the All In For Citrus podcast to provide a recap of Packinghouse Day. The event was held Sept. 12 at the Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC) in Lake Alfred. Based at the Indian River Research and …
Sneak Peek: October 2024 Citrus Industry
With the news that oxytetracycline (OTC) has been approved for a third consecutive year of trunk injection in Florida citrus, growers are looking to optimize their applications for the coming season. The October cover story in Citrus Industry magazine aims to help growers make the most of their OTC injections. University of Florida researchers tell the good, the bad and …
Transforming Organic Citrus Production
Organic citrus growing presents unique hurdles in Florida, Texas and other southern states. Poor soil quality, nutrient deficiencies and a limited range of pest control options plague organic production. But the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ (UF/IFAS) Davie Kadyampakeni is poised to transform the future of organic citrus growing. He aims to do that with a …
Research Funded for Citrus-Harvesting Robot
California’s Citrus Research Board (CRB) has signed a $900,000 funding agreement with Nanovel that includes delivery of a citrus-harvesting robot after a series of field trials in California, Nanovel reported. The field trials are set to start in the spring of 2025 and will be conducted in cooperation with citrus growers. Nanovel, an Israeli company established in 2018 by Chief …
What To Do if Brown Rot Surprises You
By Megan Dewdney It is late summer or early fall, and the usual time to consider brown rot treatment options has passed. However, you smell a sharp fermented fruit odor. When you look closer, fruit have the telltale soft brown lesions of brown rot. What options exist to minimize losses now? It is too late for the traditional control options …
Hurricane Debby Citrus Production Losses Could Reach $13 Million
There were no reports of significant or widespread losses for citrus crops due to August’s Hurricane Debby, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) reported recently. But the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program stated in a preliminary assessment of agricultural damages that low-level production losses across a wide swath of citrus acreage could reach $13 million. …
Florida Water Supply Shortage by 2025?
Florida TaxWatch recently released commentary titled, Could Florida Experience a Significant Water Supply Shortage by 2025? Excerpts follow: In June, the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research (EDR) released an updated report detailing Florida’s water supply. According to the report, Florida could experience a water supply shortage as early as next year (2025), and it is expected to increase …
Georgia Citrus Breeder Says New Varieties Will Take Time
The University of Georgia’s new citrus breeder is preaching patience for South Georgia growers wanting new varieties to work with. Dario Chavez emphasized during the Citrus Grower’s Summer Update meeting in Valdosta that it could take a decade or longer to research and find new citrus varieties that will help Georgia’s blossoming industry. “I think some of the growers are …